Search

Words can only include the alphabetic and numeric characters as well as "_", "." and "'" (apostrophe). Words may be prefixed by one of these characters: "+", "|" and "-". Words may also be postfixed by the asterisk: "*".

The "+" prefix means that the word must be present in order for there to be a match, but this is the default, so the "+" prefix need not be present for required words.

The "|" prefix means the word may be present but is not required for a match.

The "-" prefix means the word must not be present in order for there to be a match.

The "*" postfix means to match all words that begin with those characters. For example, "dog*" matches "dogs", "dogmatic" and "dogwood".

Quoted phrases between double quotes may also be used. Quoted phrases cannot include a prefix character, and so they must be present in order for there to be a match.

Examples:

Search for messages with the word "engine":

engine

Search for messages with the words "engine" and "motor":

engine motor

Search for messages with the word "engine" or "motor":

|engine |motor

Search for messages with the word "motor" but not "boat":

motor -boat

Search for messages with either the word "engine" or "motor", and also with the word "boat":

(|engine |motor) boat

Search for messages with either the word "engine" or "motor", and also with either the word "boat" or "ship":

(|engine |motor) (|boat |ship)

Search for the phrase "When in the course of human events":

"when in the course of human events"

Search for the phrase "course of human events" and with the words "Jefferson" and "declaration":

"course of human events" jefferson declaration

Search for the phrases "sat on a wall" and "had a great fall" and with the word "horses" but not with the word "pigs":

Select the forum in which the search should be conducted. You may also select a category of forums, such as "Search All Open Forums", or a specific forum category if the discussion board is using categories.

You may select whether you wish to search messages or thread titles. A search of messages includes all the words in the message, including those in the message's subtitle. A search of thread titles includes all words in thread titles.

You may provide author names separated by commas. Authors need not be registered members. In message searches, only messages authored by those users will be listed. In thread searches, only threads originated by those users will be listed. In specifying an author the wildcard characters "." and "*" may be included. "." matches any single character, while "*" matches any number of charcters, including 0 characters. A user name may be preceded by a "-", in which case no messages or threads from that user will be listed.

Common Words

These words are
ignored when not within quotes (no words are ignored when searching by title).
At least one word in a search or in a search phrase must not be on this list:

a about actually all also am an and any are aren't as at be been because but by can can't could couldn't did didn't do does doesn't don't for from get go got had has have haven't he here his how however i if i'll i'm in into is isn't it its it's i've just know like may me more most much my no not now of on one only or other our out point quote saw see should shouldn't so some such than that the their them then these they there this those though to too up upon us very was want way we well we'll were weren't what when where whether which who why will with won't would wouldn't you your yours